Let's Be Awesome Together
by GrittyRe-boot
Summary: AU: When Felicity Smoak breaks up with her live in boyfriend, she finds herself struggling to pay the bills and in need of a roommate, in comes Oliver Queen, a former rich kid left penniless after being cheated out of his inheritance. He needs a home, she needs a roommate, only problem is, he happens to be the same Oliver Queen who made her life a living hell in high school.
1. Let's pick up the pieces

**Welcome to my new fanfic! Now the first chapter might be a tad confusing, but that was kind of intentional, all will be clarified in later chapters. Also, I like to write in character, even when writing AU, but since the circumstances here are so very different than they are in the show, I had to take a few liberties with Ollie's personality, he's basically pre-island Ollie with a bit of post-island Ollie's angst thrown in. And in case there is any overlapping of my glee fanfic fandom and my still fledgling Arrow fanfic fandom, this story, while sharing similar themes with _Bully_, is very different overall and nowhere near as dark as that story. In any case, enjoy!**

She isn't sure when rent in the good part of Starling City became so expensive, maybe when Barry moved out, maybe before, she doesn't know. The apartment still has traces of him everywhere, the dishes and flatware he picked out are still in the cabinets and drawers. The walls are still painted the mint green color they compromised on after a little too much time spent debating, the framed _Blade Runner_ poster he bought her for her first birthday as the Felicity half of Barry and Felicity is still hanging on the wall, the Tardis Lamp he bought her for their three year anniversary is still on her nightstand, as is the Tetris picture frame given to her last year after she got her appendix out, except the picture of them taken during their weekend trip to Coast city has been since replaced. She couldn't help that Barry always gave the best gifts, and it's not like they parted on bad terms, awesome gift destroying terms. They parted as friends, both deciding that they wanted different things, needed different things. She needed to stay in Starling city, with the tech school she grew to love so much. He needed... _her_. No matter how much he tried to deny it.

In any case he's gone now, back to Central city, the same place Caitlin ditched her for. And she's here, in Starling City, stuck with mint green walls and considerably higher rent than a lowly adjunct can afford. She knows there are other options. She can move to a smaller place, maybe in a slightly worse neighborhood, it's not like she really needs the second room. It was Caitlin's back when the three of them were still roommates, before Dr. Snow got her fancy new job and Barry his fancy new girlfriend, when things made a lot more and a lot less sense all at the same time. The truth is she was relieved when Barry left, not because she never loved him, she did love him, she still does in a way, but when they were together she always got the feeling that things were just good enough, not great, not bad really, but good enough, and 28 still seemed like a bit too young to settle for just good enough. Things are better than good enough for Barry, according to his Facebook feed anyway, she should probably defriend him already, at least until things are more than just good enough for her too, at least until this little financial dilemma is taken care of. She should move, that would be the smart thing to do, start over, but leaving this apartment, her first one as an actual honest to god grown up, it would just feel like too much change all at once. Besides, the last thing she wants is to deal with moving vans and change of address forms and all that other nonsense.

She takes a deep breath as she opens her laptop, finding a roommate, the last resort before the last last resort. Since Caitlin and Barry left she doesn't really know anyone, except her coworkers and maybe Sara from spin class, Sara lives in the bad part of town with a life partner Felicity's only met twice, but she seems to like it, it suits her tough as nails persona, she'd probably be miserable here. Felicity doesn't want to end up shacked up with some psycho, and she knows that posting an ad online is the first step towards that, but desperate times call for desperate classified ads.

* * *

Forty

forty-one

forty-two

forty-thr-

Oliver!

Oliver flinches mid push-up as Digg enters the room, at the sight of his once and future mentor he scrambles up, facing him.

"Why'd you stop me?" Oliver says, his breathing heavy. "I was in the zone."

"I know," Digg says with a stern look that has become commonplace. "You've been in the zone for the past six months,_ my zone_, also known as my house."

"I know I've been here a little longer than we first agreed upon..."

"Yeah, five months longer than we agreed upon," Digg replies.

"But I really think Isobel is onto something, she thinks me and Thea have a good shot of getting our inheritance back."

"And in the meantime you have a job, three of them actually, the last time I checked, and I have an extra room that's supposed to be reserved for my unborn daughter, not a down on his luck former student who can never sit still."

"What are you saying Digg?" Oliver replies, commencing to punch the air in front of him, confirming Digg's accusation. "You don't want me here anymore?"

"It's not that I don't want you here, there's just no room for you anymore Oliver, the baby's coming any day now and she needs this room."

"I can sleep on the couch," Oliver insists, his voice slightly vulnerable in a way that makes Digg's hard look soften a bit. "I mean it's not like I'm some freeloader, I help you guys out."

"It's not about that, this isn't just about us, it's about you."

"And I like it here," Oliver argues

"I understand why you have abandonment issues Oliver," Digg says seriously. "Especially after losing your mom last year, that can't be easy, but she's gone, your dad's gone, sooner or later you're going to have to learn to be on your own."

Digg can sense the oncoming protest and mild panic in the younger mans face as he speaks, and at that he continues, making a calming gesture with his hands as he talks.

"Or," Digg continues. "You can move in with Isobel, you've been dating long enough."

"She'll never allow it. Isobel likes her space," Oliver says, continuing to punch at the air.

"So do I," Digg says sternly.

"I don't get it, you're my sensei Digg, a sensei doesn't just abandon his student."

"I'm not your damn Sensei," Digg shoots back. "You took karate with me 18 years ago and I've been trying to shake your ass ever sense."

"But you can't, because I'm awesome," Oliver says, a bit of confidence reaching his voice. And Digg can't help but crack an unwanted smile, it's true, part of him will never really be able to shake the knucklehead standing in his extra room, not ever since his Oliver's died and his mom was desperate to find a suitable male influence for him. Oliver's been through a lot, he can't pretend not to understand that, but that doesn't change anything.

"Awesome or not, it's time to move on buddy," Digg says, clapping Oliver on the back.

"But Sensei Diggle, where am I supposed to go?" Oliver says, the use of the title getting the intended rise out of him.

"Well, I suggest you take some of that money you've been putting toward a new Katana and find yourself an apartment somewhere."

"My Katana money?" Oliver says, as if he's almost offended.

"Can you even use one?"

"Well I certainly wont be able to now," Oliver scoffs.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine, you make enough money for a nice, modest place in, well, maybe not the best neighborhood. I mean you might want to invest in some extra locks."

"This isn't making this whole moving thing sound any more appealing," Oliver groans.

"Or you can find a roommate in the nicer part of town," Digg suggests next. "I know you lived in a mansion a little over a year ago, I can understand how the Glades would be a bit of a shock to the system."

"I guess I'll have to figure it out," Oliver says, running his hand over his sandy, close-cropped hair.

"If you need any help with the transition I'm right here," Digg says.

"Yeah, thanks," Oliver replies. "Thanks for everything."

"What's a good sensei for?" Digg says with a warm smile before turning to leave.

* * *

He contemplates his situation quietly as he cleans glasses, it's just busy work really, something to keep the staff occupied before the club opens, everything is cleaned and scrubbed the night before, so there's really not much to do aside from the checklist and making sure all of the taps are in working order.

"Why the long face Queen?" Sara says, giving him a nudge as she walks past. "You lose your puppy?"

"No, just the roof over my head," Oliver sighs.

"Sensei Digg finally kick you out?" Sara guesses.

"Well you didn't have to add the finally, but yes."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I have to find a place I guess, preferably with a roommate."

"Well you aren't staying with me and Nyssa that's for sure," Sara replies.

"Like I'd even want to, you live in the shitty part of town," he says. "Besides, you guys would never let me join in," He adds jokingly.

"Yeah, been there, fucked that, not exactly itching for seconds" Sara replies snarkily.

"Don't you mean thirds," Oliver says, making her go a little red.

"What can I say? It was a confusing time." Sara says, shrugging. "But if you ever tried to pull that with Nyssa she'd break your legs."

"You know, I'll take your word for it."

"But if you're seriously looking I might know someone."

"Really?" Oliver says, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, she was posting flyers at the gym last week, on actual paper so you know she's desperate," Sara explains. "Her names Felicity, she has this great apartment on the east side, she's an adjunct professor at the technical school, she's 28, she's totally adorable-

"Wait, are you trying to hook me up with a potential roommate or is this a set-up, because you know I have a girlfriend," Oliver says.

"Yeah, and she's a total bitch," Roy says as he joins them behind the bar.

"Roy, be nice," Sara says. "Although he is right."

"Shouldn't you be cleaning the men's room or something?" Oliver says, glaring at Roy, he's younger than him and Sara, but never lets that fact deter him from speaking his mind.

"Already done," Roy responds.

"Well clean it more," Oliver insists, to which Roy exhales sharply and turns to leave.

"Tell my sister I said hi!" Oliver calls after him in an annoyed tone before the younger boy disappears into the restroom.

"Anyway," Sara says. "You should call her," she continues as she reaches into her back pocket for the flyer. "And not for a date, although I wouldn't be opposed to that."

He looks over the flyer curiously, the last time he had a roommate was when he lived with Tommy Merlyn for the entire four months he attended Princeton, but this Felicity seems promising enough. He's only known one other Felicity before in his life, it's not exactly the most common name in the world, he just hopes he gets along better with this Felicity then he did with that one.

_Starling City Preparatory Academy, 2002_

_She wore the same clothes as all the other girls. Crisp white shirt and tie, sweater vest, blazer, plaid skirt, yet she still managed to look awkward. It was hard for her not to, with her stringy brown hair and lumpy, angry, painful looking acne, her thick rimmed glasses too big for her face and her mouth full of metal. She wasn't capable of fitting in, and he took every opportunity to remind her of that fact. It wasn't personal, everybody took their shots at the spazzy, hideous poor kid, the scholarship girl who always had her head buried too deep in her books to function in the real world, the girl too shy and socially awkward to manage a simple conversation without rambling like an idiot. Everyone made fun of her, and he wasn't one to deviate from the crowd, if anything he led the way, so if tearing Starling City Prep's biggest loser down was the thing to do, he'd do it better than anyone, and he did, for others it was a game, for him it was an art form. He wasn't sure what she ever did to piss him off, he knew that she was weird and annoying, and talked way too much in the rare occasions she would talk at all, and she farted in class that one time in ninth grade which was pretty classic, but none of those things really warranted his cruelty. If he had to give a reason, he did it because it was funny, and he liked the feeling he got when everyone laughed at his newest mean nickname or prank, it made him feel good about himself in a way that he couldn't explain. It helped that he never really thought of her as a living breathing human being with thoughts and feelings, she was a target, plain an simple, and as he sauntered down the hall that day like so many other days, she was right in his sights, a stack of books in her arms, her posture hunched over, a piece of stringy hair in her mouth. It was like she was asking for it._

_"'Sup Fuglicity!" He said as he approached her, making her look up, the fear visible in her face._

_"Oliver?" She said, her voice quaking a bit._

_"Hey, I got a math problem for you, since you're so into that stuff." He continued with a smarmy grin. "How many pockmarked freaks does it take to pick up four books?"_

_"I-I don't"_

_"Just one," he answered for her, flipping the books out of her hands and onto the floor. "Later Fuglicity," He said laughing as he continued down the hall._

_"Dude, that was epic!" Tommy said, High fiving him as Felicity picked her books up._

He never wondered if he made her cry then, or any of the other times, but every once in awhile, like right now with Sara saying the name Felicity, he wonders, and he swallows hard, thinking she probably did, she probably did every time.

* * *

She hasn't been this nervous since her first date with Barry, more than eight years ago, but it isn't hard to figure out why, this is the guy she'll possibly be living with for the indefinite future, and all she knows about him is that he works with Sara and his name is Oliver. She's only known two guys named Oliver her whole life, one was a classmate at MIT who she beat in a robotics competition sophomore year, the other was a total jerk but that was a lifetime ago, the last time she thought about him was when she got a mild Schadenfreude high upon reading about his family's company losing everything last year, and then immediately felt bad about taking pleasure in another's misfortune, even his, and now she was about to meet the third Oliver, a bartender named who needed a place to stay and could presumably afford the extra 800 dollars a month she needed to stay afloat.

She thinks she's picked the right outfit, casual and approachable, with just the right amount of quiet authority. The blue cardigan is a favorite of hers. It probably doesn't matter what she wears, or at least it shouldn't matter, but she wants this guy to know who he's dealing with, and first impressions are key. As the doorbell rings she fluffs her bouncy blonde ponytail, adjusts her glasses, and presses her red lips together once before going for the door, taking one last deep breath before opening it.

"Hi," he says with a wide smile as she answers it, and the hairs on the back of her neck immediately stand up at the sight of him. He looks the same, he's a bit scruffier and more muscular, and his school uniform has been traded in for a blue button down and relaxed fit jeans, and he's possibly, annoyingly, even more handsome than he was ten years ago, but she'd recognize that face anywhere, that smug, stupid, endlessly punchable face.

"Oh my god," she says, her voice choked. "You have got to be freaking kidding me."

"I'm sorry," he says knitting his brow in confusion. "Do I know you?"

She's not insulted, not by that anyway. She looks different, her skin has been acne free for years, even the scars are faded away now. Her dishwater hued hair has been traded in for a buttery blonde, her smile is thankfully sans metal, she's been told she's pretty even, something she never heard in high school, and after so many times she kind of believes it, but seeing him, now, makes all of those horrible feelings of self doubt come rushing back at once.

"It's me," she says, a spiteful edge in her voice. "It's Fuglicity."

She's never seen anyone's jaw drop that fast.

_I'll try to update as quickly as possible. Please review? Pretty please with shirtless Stephen Amell on top? Anyway, Stay tuned folks!_


	2. Let's bury the hatchet

**Sorry for the wait on this, I'll try to make the next update faster since I'm done with my other story.**

This is a joke, a prank Sara is playing on him, it has to be it. This woman can't be Felicity, the last time he saw Felicity Smoak her pimples had pimples, her hair was a stringy mess, her posture was what could best be described as Quasimodo style. The woman looking at him right now with seething hatred in her eyes, she isn't Felicity. She's, well, smoking hot actually. Maybe not in the same way that Isobel is. Isobel is all legs and hair and dominatrix confidence. The woman standing in front of him is hot in a way he's pretty sure a lot of people don't see right away, she's the librarian you just want to fuck the shit out of against a bookshelf, with her glasses and neat hair and little sweater that hugs her body in that subtle way. And, jesus she's still staring at him and he knows he needs to talk before she slams the door in his face, but he can't really find the words because she's so damn pretty and so damn angry, and he can't think about how hot other girls are when his girlfriend is across town. So he clears his throat and speaks.

"I get it," He says breaking the silence. "This is a prank right?"

"What the hell are you talking about Queen?" Felicity says, her tone snappish and annoyed.

"You can't be Felicity Smoak, I mean you're...

"What?" She snaps again. "What am I?"

"Well, you're gorgeous," he says honestly. And he can't help but think she looks a little bit incredulous at the words. He's not sure whether it's because she doesn't believe she is, or she doesn't believe that he believes it.

"Yeah," She says snidely. "I was a beast in high school which is pretty much why you tortured me endlessly, because as we all know being a little unfortunate looking is a crime punishable by law."

"Did Sara put you up to this?" He asks again with a light chuckle. "Because I have to say, that's mean. Funny, but mean."

"Wow, are you really so dense you can't see that I'm getting increasingly pissed off the longer you keep this delusional act up?"

His face finally falls at her words. Sara didn't go to school with them, but she knew about Felicity, she heard the stories. Serving as each others personal confessionals just came with the territory of being best friends, best friends who were individually responsible for some shady actions in their past. But he had to admit it was a little too perfect. First of all the hadn't really talked about her in years, except maybe once or twice in passing. And her voice, although lisp free without the braces, sounded the same. And those eyes, even back when she was Fuglicity he noticed her eyes, bright blue and sparkly, but wise and focused all at once, he used to hate it when she'd stare at him, not even with anger, but more like disappointment, like she expected better, a lot like the way the woman in the doorway is staring at him right now. And he's beginning to think this isn't a trick.

"Holy shit," He says quietly.

"Yeah," Felicity says with a look on her face that says _duh, moron. _"So I'm just going to close this now." She starts, but doesn't get far as Oliver blocks it with his foot.

"Are you seriously not going to leave me alone?" She says in disbelief, swinging the door open once again.

"Can you just hear me out?" He pleads.

"What is there to say?" She scoffs.

"Well, I'm sorry, for one," He says softly, shamefully. "I mean, I know it was a long time ago but still, there's no excuse for everything that went down between us back then."

"No, there isn't," She agrees.

"But I was just a stupid kid," he continues.

"And why should I care? Because you're a stupid adult now?" She says. "Yeah, not going to happen, people don't change that much."

"Well, you certainly have," He remarks again. And she really has, even with her fuming at him it's hard not to stare.

"How the hell would you know, because I wash my hair now?" She says flippantly. "Just the fact that you would say that-

"Okay, yeah you're right, you're absolutely right, I'm sorry," He interrupts, his voice a bit frantic. "I mean, yes, you look amazing, truly but you have to believe me I'm not the same shallow bastard I was in high school."

"Oliver," She says, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Maybe you aren't, maybe you have changed, but that doesn't help the fact that there's still... there's just too much here," she continues, pointing between the two of them. "I can't let you live here, okay, all I can think about when I look at you is how much I want to dunk your head in my fish tank and hold it there until you stop struggling. I'm thinking of you, honest."

"Wait, you have a fish tank? Now I have to live here," he says excitedly, looking over her shoulder at the aquarium inside. She doesn't look amused. "Sorry, not the time to joke."

"I really do wish you the best of luck on your apartment hunt," She says coldly before once again attempting to shut him out, and once again groaning when he blocks it.

"Are you kidding me?" She says "What do I have to do to get rid of you?"

"Give me a chance," He says, hints of actual vulnerability in his voice.

"So you mean do the opposite of getting rid of you?"

"I won't bother you I promise, I'll stay in my room," He insists. "You won't even know I'm here."

"Somehow I doubt you're the type that knows how to keep to himself." He can't help but think she's got a point, he regularly got an earful from Diggle about his lack of ability to keep a low profile. But he couldn't help it, Lyla loved taco and Kung Fu movie Fridays, so did Dig, even if he wouldn't admit it.

"Okay, maybe not but I promise I'm a great roommate, I cook, I clean, I can incapacitate intruders."

"I can cook and clean well enough on my own, and I own a taser," she argues.

"A taser is no competition for the Sound and the Fury," He says confidently.

"A dudebro who makes William Faulkner references, interesting," She says. "Thanks for not flexing by the way."

"Felicity I know you have no reason to trust me," he pleads again. "But I'm desperate, I only have a few days to find an apartment, and I know you're desperate too because Sara told me."

"I'm not _that_ desperate," she insists.

"And wouldn't someone you know be better than some psycho off the street?" He continues.

She simply raises one eyebrow at him, an almost mocking look on her face.

"Maybe not the best example," He admits.

"Probably the worst example actually."

"Felicity, please, just give me a month, like a trial, I'll do whatever it takes to prove to you that we can be awesome together."

She doesn't answer him back right away, she simply stares at him, mulling it over in her head, her arms crossed, her face frustratingly hard to read, and he breaths a small sigh of relief when she reluctantly sighs and steps aside.

* * *

He had learned to accept a while ago the fact that none of his friends really got his relationship with Isobel, he couldn't really blame them, they didn't know her like he did, they only knew the cold mean girl who liked to snap her fingers at waiters, not the confident badass who drove him wild in bed and always pushed him to be the best he could be. He knew she wasn't trying to help him get back his inheritance for any kind of selfish reasons, she only wanted what was best for him, for his family, and the sooner they nailed Slade Wilson to the wall the sooner he and Thea could pick up the broken pieces of their lives.

"Somebody's energetic today," Isobel says, her breathing labored. "You really delivered Mr. Queen."

"What can I say, I'm happy," Oliver says, shrugging. "I found a place."

"Really," she says, looking a bit skeptical. "You'e not moving in with your old math tutor or something are you?"

"Actually..." Oliver starts a bit sheepishly.

"Wait, really, a roommate, at your age?"

"I'm 28," he argues.

"Oliver, when are you going to grow up?" Isobel says, rolling her eyes. "How are you going to take care of your father's company when you can't even take care of yourself?"

"My father's company will be in good hands when I get it back, Walter is the best man for the job, not me."

"So what's the plan Oliver, you're just going to let Walter make all of the decisions while you spend your days teaching a bunch of nerds Karate?"

"I teach Kung Fu, there's a difference," he says, almost offended. "And why not? I like teaching, my life isn't all bad Isobel. I have a great job, great friends, great girlf-

"Please don't use the G word Oliver," she protests. "You know it makes me uncomfortable."

"Isobel, we've been going out over a year, something's gotta give."

"You know how much I care about you," she says, turning to face him, cupping his cheek with her cool hand. "But we're on two different wavelengths, and I just can't deal with all of these labels you're constantly trying to apply to our relationship, like boyfriend and girlfriend... love."

"I do love you," He insists. He does, or at least he thinks he does. Maybe he doesn't love her in the same way he loved Laurel, but Isobel was always the kind of girl he pictured himself ending up with, and the fact that she stood by him through everything, he knows part of her must love him too, even if she's too much of a modern woman to ever admit it.

"Aww, and that's adorable, really, but this isn't high school, I'm comfortable with what we have," She says.

He doesn't argue, they've had this conversation so many times already, he knows there's no point.

"Listen, it's great that you're settling down," she finally says. "But you can't get complacent. Nows the time to think about your future, not to mention Thea's," she continues with a bit of a catty edge in her tone.

"Why do you always say her name like that?" Oliver says a bit angrily. "That's my sister you're talking about."

"Your fresh out of rehab sister, I know," Isobel says, rolling her eyes.

"That was six months ago and she's doing great now, she's getting A's in all of her college courses, she has that internship at the law firm-

"Not to mention her promising career taking her clothes off for money."

"Watch it, you know I don't like it when you talk about her that way. She's just trying to keep her head above water the same as everyone else, there's no shame in that." Oliver says, glaring. Thea has always been a soft spot for him, even Isobel should know better than to go there. "Why are you trying to pick a fight all of a sudden?"

"That's not what I'm doing," She insists.

"I know you well enough to know when you're trying to piss me off on purpose," he shoots back. "What gives?" At that she shakes her head and throws the colors off of her naked body, as she slips out of bed, going for her lacy black bra he waits patiently for an answer.

"I think maybe we need to take some time," she says coolly.

"Wait, you're breaking up with me, that's what this is about?" He says incredulously, following her out of bed and scrambling into his own underwear.

"No," she protests. "Of course not, it's just..."

"What, what is it?" He asks impatiently.

"I'm going to Russia," she finally admits. "It was decided last week, the company is sending me there for four months to fill in for the Moscow chapter VP."

He stills at her words. She's been a little distant lately, even moreso than usual, but he never would have thought it was because she was planning on leaving the country. This was just like her, leaving him out of all of her decisions like his opinion doesn't matter, and maybe it shouldn't matter, it is her life after all. Still, it's easy to get a little fed up with the constant emotional distance she swears is perfectly healthy.

"Four months? You're leaving for four months and you're just now telling me?"

"I didn't know for sure whether it was happening, but now that it is I think it's an excellent opportunity for us to test the waters, you know?"

"Test the waters? As in you're going to be spending four months with a bunch of established businessmen who are a lot more successful and interesting and you want to keep your options open, am I right?"

"Oliver, don't be a child," She says. "This isn't a break up, I still have every intention of helping you reclaim your legacy."

"Enough about my legacy," He snaps. "This is about you and me, and if your plan is to string me along while you do god knows what in Russia don't bother."

"You know what, if you aren't going to be mature about this, I suggest you go. We can talk more when you've calmed down," Isobel says, so calm it drives him crazy.

"Yeah, I think going is a good idea," He says, turning to leave. He won't let her ruin his day, he's made a major step toward picking up the pieces, Sensei Diggle and Lyla were so proud when he told them and it made him feel proud too. And Felicity, Felicity was giving him a chance, a second chance to prove he could be something more than the jerk he used to be. And with or without Isobel, with or without his money, he would prove that he deserved it.

* * *

She hates it when Caitlin waits until the last possible ring to pick up, but at least she does this time. She's missed her best friend's voice, and after the week she's had she needs to hear it. She wanted so much to say no, to get back at him once and for all for every indignity she suffered at his hands, but part of being an adult, easily the most annoying part was learning to keep her priorities in order, and keeping a roof over her head sadly came before holding a grudge. Besides, as much as she hates to admit it, he was right, they hated each other ten years ago, and although she refuses to like him, she thinks maybe she can manage cold indifference. Still, she needs to vent, and the second Caitlin picks up she barely let's her get the "hey Felicity" out.

"I'm cohabitating with my arch nemesis, I'm like Batman without the agility," Felicity says.

"Did something happen between you and professor Palmer, because I have to say, I saw that one coming," Caitlin replies.

"No, not that arch nemesis," Felicity clarifies.

"Is it that girl who keeps getting your order wrong at Big Belly burger?"

"Nope, guess again."

"Can you maybe help me out here? My lunch is only thirty minutes and you have a lot of arch nemeses," Caitlin says impatiently.

"It's Oliver Queen," Felicity finally offers.

"Wait, Oliver Queen, the billionaire?"

"Ex-billionaire," she says, correcting her.

"What did _he_ do to you?" Caitlin asks amusedly.

"Well, I never really told you this before but, we kind of went to high school together." She admits, she never thought she would bring up Oliver Queen again, he was always a part of her life best left as a distant memory, an unpleasant page from her past, but when he showed up at her doorstep all of those bad feelings came rushing back, now she feels she must let them out before they strangle her.

"You went to high school with a semi celebrity, and you never said anything about it?"

"Of course not, high school was a nightmare for me, largely because of the asshat I'm now living with. Seriously, he used to bully me relentlessly. And all I wanted to do after graduation was forget and move on," She explains. "I don't believe in fate or anything, but if it's real, it's a massive asshole."

"Okay, just tell me what happened," Caitlin says.

"Well, you got that job at Star Labs and ditched me," Felicity says a bit spitefully, keeping her promise to never let Caitlin's abandonment of her go forgotten. "Then a few short months later my boyfriend realized he's in love with his sister and ditches me too."

"First of all, when are you going to let that go? Second, Iris is not Barry's sister."

"Yeah, I know but saying that makes him seem like the bad guy," Felicity explains.

"Can you just jump to the part where you're living with Oliver Queen?" Caitlin asks.

"I needed a roommate, I wasn't getting any bites, so this girl I know in spin class set me up with Oliver, and of course I said yes like an idiot because I'm a glutton for punishment," Felicity explains.

"Or maybe you realized that high school was ten years ago and holding a grudge that long isn't very healthy," Caitlin reasons.

"Are you talking about Oliver or you?" Felicity says teasingly. "Anyway, I'm giving him a one month trial, if I can make it that long without wanting to set fire to all of his stuff I think I might be able to handle this."

"Of course you can, he's just a roommate, nobody says you have to be friends with your roommate, just take his money every month and live your life," Caitlin says. "Or you know, you could just get a smaller apartment."

"But I love this place," Felicity says wistfully. "The vibes, the view, and there's history here, you know. I mean just because you moved out and Barry and I didn't work out doesn't mean there are no good memories."

"Yeah, we really did have some good times there," Caitlin agrees, and Felicity can hear the smile in her voice. "And now you can make new memories... with Oliver Queen."

"God, just when I thought you would be comforting to talk to in this situation," Felicity teases, and before she can continue her conversation the doorbell chimes. He's early, who would have guessed. "Anyway, I gotta go, the cromag is here."

She hangs up and sighs deeply before getting up to answer the door, and just as she suspected, it's him, with the first box.

"Hey roomie," Oliver says with the same smug smile on his face as always.

"Day one," Felicity sighs, stepping aside to let him in.

**In case anyone was wondering why Oliver was a bartender in the last chapter and a Kung Fu instructor in this one, the answer is simple, he has three jobs in this story. I think you'll all get a kick out of what the third one is. Stay tuned folks.**


	3. Let's not make a scene

**Hey hey. How about that season premiere, huh? I'm pretty freaking devastated about Sara, but I wasn't entirely unprepared for it. In any case, her death won't affect the story, she's not going to be a major player here, but I don't have any plans to kill her off. One more thing, super sorry about the short chapter.**

She takes a deep breath as Oliver enters the apartment and she proceeds to close the door behind him, almost hitting the young, square-jawed boy she doesn't see coming in after him.

"Not so fast," the boy says, entering with another box in tow.

"Oh, sorry," Felicity says sheepishly, stepping aside. "You must be one of the movers."

"Nah," he corrects her. "I'm Roy, I'm sort of banging Oliver's sister."

"You know this place has a balcony?" Oliver says with a brightness that's clearly put on. "Felicity where do you stand on me dangling people off of it?"

Felicity tries to stifle a laugh as the younger boy audibly swallows hard.

"You know, I'd say it depends on the person," Felicity responds. She doesn't really want to encourage him, but she has to admit that was funny.

"Roy being a pain again?" Felicity turns her head in the direction of the doorway as a skinny brunette girl comes in.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Felicity asks her.

"Thea Queen, Ollie's troubled sister." She answers, a sardonic edge in her voice. "Surprised you don't recognize me from the local papers."

She doesn't but she supposes the Queens aren't exactly the Kardashians as far as fame goes. Yet somehow, there is something eerily familiar about this girl.

"Wow," Felicity says, and she thinks the word applies, she's dressed down, her hair is messy and pulled back into a sloppy bun, and her face is free of makeup aside from a shadow of kohl eyeliner around her green eyes and a speck or two of glitter clearly left over from the night before, but she's still easily one of the most beautiful girls Felicity has ever seen. "You're stunning."

"Are you a lesbian?" The younger boy, Roy, chimes in, nothing spiteful or accusatory in his tone, still, Felicity can tell he's got more than a bit of nerve.

"Roy!" Thea and Oliver reprimand simultaneously.

"I got this," Thea says, setting her box down. "What the fuck is your problem?" she continues, smacking the back of his head.

"Ow! What?" Roy asks defensively. "She's friends with Sara I just, you know, assumed.

"That she must have at one point been sleeping with her?" Thea asks incredulously.

"No, but I know gay people sometimes hang out together, solidarity and all that jazz," Roy reasons. "And I don't get what the big deal is it's totally cool if she's a lesbian."

"That's not the point you don't just go out and ask if someone is a lesbian," Oliver chimes in.

"Why not?" Roy asks, shrugging. "How else would you know not to hit on girl?"

"Because I'm your girlfriend you complete dumbass," Thea says sensibly.

"I meant men in general, not just me," Roy protests. "I wouldn't hit on another girl right in front of you."

And Felicity goes from vaguely amused to a bit nervous as Thea smacks him again. Felicity had never met Thea, she supposes she was still in elementary school when she and Oliver were in high school, but from the last few minutes she could tell that Oliver wasn't the only extremely dysfunctional member of his family, in fact, right now he seems to be the mature, levelheaded one.

"Ever, I meant ever!" Roy says. "I'd never hit on other girls."

"Can I interject here?" Felicity says, calmly but loudly enough to grab their attention. And they all look at her.

"You're right, it's not a big deal, but I _am_ straight," Felicity continues. "Sara is just a friend... a terrible, terrible friend." she continues saying the last part under her breath as she remembers who recommended Oliver to her.

"See, she agrees with me," Roy says, nudging Thea a little.

"Go fuck yourself Roy," Thea says, rolling her eyes.

"Isn't that your job?" Roy shoots back confidently, making Felicity more than slightly uncomfortable.

"Not tonight it isn't, maybe not even the rest of the week," Thea says coldly.

"Come on, I was kidding!" Roy protests again.

"Kid some more Roy see if I pay for Netflix next month, now get to work," Thea says, unfazed, snapping her fingers and pointing sharply in the direction of Oliver's room.

And at that he sighs deeply and starts toward the room.

"Wow, I'm really glad Diggle was busy, you two are clearly the superior moving partners," Oliver says, his tone sarcastic and annoyed. "Now did you want to maybe apologize to my roommate?"

"I'm sorry," Thea says, seeming to mean it. "I don't know why I let him piss me off."

"Well, I'm sure he'd piss anyone off," Felicity says in a vague attempt to lighten the mood.

"He does," Oliver says. "Anyone and everyone. Constantly"

"He really can be a sweetheart sometimes though," Thea says warmly. "Whenever I'm really upset he lets me punch him as hard as I want."

"Most men buy flowers," Felicity says matter of factly. "But I guess your thing is romantic... in its own way."

"And don't worry about that crack before, I've said much worse to him," Thea continues, waving at the air nonchalantly "I do feel bad about making him cry that one time, but he was asking for it, he said he didn't like my shoes."

"I've made that mistake before," Oliver says. "She's vicious."

"So, lets starts over, Thea Queen," She says extending her hand for Felicity to shake.

"Felicity Smoak," Felicity offers graciously, noticing the way Thea's eyes widen a bit in surprise at the name.

"Oh my god, I knew you looked familiar," Thea says brightly. "You teach at Starling City College right?"

"Um, yeah, computer science. Wait, do you go there?"

"Yeah, this is my first year," She confirms. And Felicity can see now why she looks familiar, she's seen her around campus, always dressed stylishly with a latte in hand, sunglasses on and a serious case of resting bitch face worn like a mask. She looks different now, warmer and sweeter.

"Wow, small world," Oliver says, clapping them both on the back, making Felicity tense a bit at the contact.

"Yeah... unfortunately," Felicity says, muttering the second word quietly.

"You know, I tried to enroll in your class actually, but it was full," Thea says before Oliver can speak again.

"Well, there's always next semester," Felicity says. "I'd be happy to have you, just leave the boyfriend at home, 'kay?" She continues teasingly, making Thea blush a little.

"Speaking of which, let me go help my pet idiot," Thea says, picking up the box and starting off toward the room. "It was nice meeting you Felicity."

"Nice meeting you too," Felicity calls after him.

"So," Oliver says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in mild frustration. "That's my sister."

"Cute," Felicity says sarcastically. "So, was the thing about Diggle or whoever really true or did you just bring them to make yourself look better in comparison, because I have to say, Sid and Nancy in there still have you beat."

"I deserve that," Oliver says maturely, and she hates to admit it but it kind of drives her crazy how sincere he sounds. "And I probably deserve all of the other things you've told your friends about me."

"You know, you can at least pretend to be offended," she says, half-jokingly. "This may sound petty but it makes me feel better knowing that I'm capable of hurting your feelings."

"I'm sorry," he says, and clears his throat. "Go ahead, lay another one on me."

_Don't smile_, Felicity thinks to herself, _never give him the satisfaction of smiling_.

"Maybe Later," Felicity says, rolling her eyes. "I have a class at one, just get yourself settled and I'll see you when I get home."

"Will do," he says giving her a quick faux salute. She simply shakes her head a little and turns to leave.

He lets out a slow exhale as she disappears out the door. He knows he shouldn't have brought them, they couldn't be in the same room for five minutes without arguing about something, usually something Roy said or did. He had expressed his dislike for Thea's boyfriend in the past, but now it's mostly teasing, to be honest he's glad Roy's a part of her life, she may not have survived if it weren't for him, and he still remembers that pivotal night so clearly, the night he almost lost her, that night Roy became something like family, and Thea _was_ his family, his only family, and he felt lucky to have them both. Still, it's important that he doesn't screw up this whole one month trial and he can't say they helped the situation.

"So, which one of you do I have to chew out first?" Oliver says darkly as he enters his bedroom, immediately noticing that they're both smiling, their little spats never last long.

"Come on dude, I know you're trying to make good with the roommate but I really don't see why paying your rent on time every month isn't going to be enough," Roy says as he unpacks.

"Because she's not just any roommate," Oliver admits.

"So she's hot, what does that matter? Don't you have your so-called girlfriend?" Roy says, and Oliver notices the slight glare Thea shoots him at Roy's perfectly honest appraisal of Felicity's appearance.

"You mean the one who hasn't answered any of my phone calls since she left for Russia a week ago? Yeah, pretty sure that's over," Oliver says with a sigh.

"Thank god," Roy says, his voice full of relief.

"Seriously, congratulations Ollie, I couldn't be happier for you if you had gotten a parasitic twin removed."

"Easy," Oliver says, and he thinks maybe he would protest more if he weren't still kind of pissed at Isobel. "Even still, it's not like that with Felicity."

"What's it like?" Thea says with a teasing growl.

"Well, me and Felicity went to high school together," Oliver explains. "And lets just say I wasn't always the nicest guy to her."

"What happened, you didn't sleep with her and never call her again did you, because that's so early 2000's you," Thea says with a scoff.

"No, I was just a jerk," Oliver says, shrugging. "A bully, a capital D douchebag."

"Well at least the first two aren't true anymore," Thea quips, prompting Oliver to throw his neck pillow at her.

Anyway," Oliver continues. "She wasn't always as, well, fetching as she is now and I was pretty cruel about it. I know it was a long time ago but still, I just feel like I need to prove to her that I've changed. And it's not some sort of ploy to get into her pants or anything, it's not like that. It's just, it's not every day you get to correct something from your past."

"You clearly have changed, I mean, you just used the word fetching," Thea teases.

"Look, the point is I live here now," Oliver says, ignoring Thea's crack. "It's a new chapter, and not just for me, for all of us, Thea, you're doing great in school, you're sober, you're happy."

"Ish," Thea says shrugging.

"Fine, happyish, but that's still better than most people," Oliver says. "You went through hell last year and you picked yourself up. And Roy, you just got that great new haircut," Oliver continues, satisfied with the way Roy rolls his eyes a little in annoyance.

"And me, I'm living in this great apartment, my lawsuit against Slade Wilson is making headway, And I'm finally making an honest living for myself, if I'm being honest I'm proud of us, even you Roy."

"Gee, thanks dick," Roy says darkly.

"And I know it might not make any sense but I think living with Felicity will be good for me," he continues. At least he hopes it will, he noticed the way she tensed as he touched her, the small, nearly inaudible wisecracks, the nervous smiles. She isn't happy about this, not at all, but maybe if he played his cards right he really could change the past.

**Okay, I know you're probably a bit impatient for the Olicity interaction, but trust me, it's coming really soon. I just wanted to take the opportunity to introduce Thea and show a bit more Roy since they will come into play a little later, mostly for the purpose of Felicity finding out more about Oliver and his backstory and how it's made him who he is now. Also I know Roy and Thea read a bit... abrasive, but since it's kind of that way on the show (especially season one) I thought it fit, also I have a pretty dark sense of humor. And yes, Oliver and Isobel are pretty much done, but that doesn't necessarily mean she won't cause problems later. Also, hate to disappoint you, but no, Oliver is not a stripper. Stay tuned folks!**


	4. Let's have pancakes for dinner

**This will probably be the last update this month, Halloween is fast approaching so I'll be pretty busy the next couple of weeks, until then, enjoy!**

It's her favorite time of day, getting home after a long day of work. She loves her job, but the need to decompress still presents itself after about hour seven of lecturing class after class. She's off tomorrow, there aren't any papers to grade, nothing but pajamas and Netflix to look forward to for the next 24 hours. She twists the key into the lock and enters, and suddenly her optimism comes crumbling around her.

"29, 30, 31, 32, 33-

"Ahem," she says clearing her throat at the sight of her very shirtless roommate doing push ups on the floor, so much for keeping to himself.

"Oh, hey," he says brightly, standing up, and she tries not to blush as she gets a full view of his perfectly sculpted chest, she looks down and nervously rubs the back of her neck. "How was work?"

"Long," She answers. "Two three hour classes and a lab today plus subbing for that basket case Professor Magnus, I could certainly use something nice and stiff."

She notices the look on his face at the words and her face turns hot. "A drink, I meant a drink a stiff drink, not your... you know, where is your shirt, by the way?" she rambles nervously.

"Oh, sorry about that," he says with a smile, God he has a nice smile. She exhales in relief when he covers himself with a black T-shirt. "I guess I lost track of the time."

"Yeah, I don't mean to be a pain but can you maybe do that in your room from now on?" Felicity insists. "I mean if you're going to insist on being half-naked, you know, not that I don't enjoy your body... looking at it I mean, not the bad way. And yeah, done talking now, how was- how was moving?"

"All done," he says, mercifully keeping a straight face through her nervous babbling. "Turns out Thea and Roy were better moving partners than I thought."

"Well good that's very- what the hell is that!" She says, finally noticing that nearly half the living room wall is now being taken up by a giant flatscreen. "What did you do?"

"You like it?" He says . "It's one of the few things I didn't sell."

"Where is my TV Oliver?" She says, her voice tense and angry.

"It's safe," he says, holding his hands up in a calming gesture. "I put it in your utility closet, you can set it up again any time you want, but..." At that he grabs the remote and switches the new tv on, she knows that he'll never learn unless she puts her foot down. This is a huge violation, but...

"Holy crap that's sharp," She says dreamily. "Is... is Norman Reedus in the room with us right now?"

"I know right?" Oliver says proudly. It's like we're in the middle of a real zombie apocalypse."

"God Oliver, this was seriously out of line I mean, this is my apartment not- Oh my God Run Glen, don't let him catch you!" She exclaims, her hand involuntarily clasping her mouth as she watches in excited horror.

"You know, if you don't like it I'll put your old one back," Oliver says apologetically. "It's just, I thought you might like it."

"You know, it's... it's really not a big deal I mean it is technically_ our_ living room," She says in response, her eyes still onscreen. "Just please ask me next time?"

"Of course, and sorry, again." Oliver says. "I'm just going to hop in the shower, enjoy the TV."

"Enjoy the shower," she says as he exits the room.

She made a promise to herself when he moved in, that she wouldn't be a jerk, that she wouldn't be too much of a sweetheart either, that she'd just, _be_. She has to admit though, he already isn't making this easy. She wonders exactly what his deal is when she sits down on her soft, welcoming couch. He's like a completely different person, clearly just as self satisfied and entitled as he ever was, but there's a warmth there that she doesn't know what to make of, that wasn't there before, and noticing it makes her ever so slightly crazy. She remembers the last time he was this nice to her, and the memory makes a hard lump form in her throat.

_She always sat alone, she couldn't really avoid it at that point, everybody thought she was weird. She could chalk it up to her first day, when McKenna Hill graciously greeted her in the lunch room and didn't make it five minutes without bolting. In Felicity's defense she really hadn't meant to turn a conversation about being there on scholarship into a long-winded diatribe about how McKenna could have HPV and not even realize it. She realized at that point that sitting alone was best, less chance of embarrassing herself that way. It was just like any other afternoon, she sat at her table, alone like always, reading Good Omens and chewing the end of her hair, when he appeared in front of her._

_"Hey, can I sit here?"_

_She looked up, her eyes wide and a little scared. Oliver Queen, asking to sit with her, what universe was this?"_

_"Uh, sure, I guess." And he sat across from her, reading her book cover._

_"Good book?" he asked._

_She simply nodded, if she started talking she wouldn't be able to shut up._

_"Cool, listen, I'm going to need you to do me a favor."_

_"A favor, what kind of favor?"_

_"Nothing bad, it's just I heard through the grapevine you were staying with Professor Holt during your time here."_

_"Yeah," she answers. "He's really nice, he's kind of like an older LeVar Burton. Not because he's black though, although I can't imagine I would make that comparison if he weren't, maybe Jonathan Frakes-_

_"Felicity," Oliver says, cutting her off._

_"Yeah, sorry, you were saying?"_

_"You know I have professor Holt for physics class, third period."_

_"Yeah, I know, I grade your papers sometimes."_

_"Pretty heinous huh?"_

_"Not necessarily," She answers with a shrug. "Your mechanics are abysmal, but you do show a surprisingly decent basic understanding of the material, I'm guessing you're one of those guys who can get by only half listening. Not to say you're lazy or anything it's just, that kind of untapped intelligence is rare."_

_She noticed a little twinge in his face at the comment, a slight smile in his eyes. It may very well have been the first time anyone had ever implied that he was smart. It didn't change what was about to happen though._

_"Listen felicity, you've only been here a couple of months and I know how hard it can be to make friends."_

_"Yeah, it's been... pretty lonely, but you know I'm focused on my studies."_

_"Yeah, if only everyone could be as responsible as you. My mom would love it if I had my priorities in order like that."_

_"Well, you know if you need tutoring or something I would be happy to help."_

_"You're a real sweetheart Felicity, really, but I think you and I both know_ _that's not what I'm here for."_

_"What are you here for?" she says, her voice guarded, quiet._

_"I'm here because I know you can get the midterm," and her heart sinks at the words, she should have known. "In fact, see that table over there," she turns her head to see Tommy Merlyn, Helena Bertenelli, and pretty much the entire upper crust of Starling City Prep staring back at her. "They all have Holt too."_

_"Oliver... I-I can't"_

_"Oh I think you can," Oliver said confidently. " Because those guys over there aren't just struggling physics students, they all have the power to pretty much make your life a living hell if you don't cooperate. In fact Helena's dad over there is one of the school scholarship funds top donors. The same scholarship fund that assures you a spot here and not roasting in the Hickville Nevada sun. And her daddy isn't one to let her want for anything."_

_"Why are you going this?" Felicity said, her voice shaking, a tear slipping past her bespectacled eye._

_"It's really nothing personal," He assured her. "I'm trying to survive here just like you, the difference is, I'm just a little bit better at it."_

_"If I get caught Holt could get fired, I'll get kicked out."_

_"Then the solution is very simple... don't get caught," he says, whispering the last part as he stands up. "Think about it."_

"Hey, can I sit here?"

"What why?" Felicity says, snapped out of her painful memory by the sight of her freshly showered roommate.

"Hey hey, don't freak out, I just want to watch the new episode, I'm not going to steal your lunch money."

"Yeah, you actually used to do that," Felicity says tensely. "And you were rich, it was weird. I didn't know that was a thing that real people did."

"Are you okay?" he says, probably noticing the way her voice is shaking a little.

"Not really," she says quietly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he says, scooting toward her.

"Don't! Okay? Just don't," And she stands up then, getting to her room as fast as she can.

She stole over a dozen tests for them during her time with Holt. She never got caught, but that look of trust he gave her, it crushed her little by little. She thought about telling a hundred times, but Oliver was right, The Bertenellis, The Merlyns and the Queens had so much pull at Starling city prep her testimony wouldn't have made a difference either way. Holt's integrity was probably the only reason they weren't all getting A's in his class anyway.

"Felicity," he says softly from the other side of the door as he taps it lightly. "Felicity whatever I did I'm sorry."

"What didn't you do Oliver?" She snaps. "God I cant believe I thought I could do this."

"Felicity please, will you just come talk to me?"

"No!"

"Please?" he says again, pleadingly. and she breathes in deeply. getting up from her bed and slowly cracking the door, he's leaning against the wall next to it, looking forward.

"I'm sorry, about Holt Felicity. I'm sorry about a lot of things but especially that," Oliver says, and she nods. She's not sure how he knows what set her off, but she guesses that was pretty high up on the list of indiscretions against her. "As someone with his own wise black mentor I know how important that relationship is."

"I know what you're going to say," she starts. "It was a long time ago, you're not the same guy anymore, I need to get over it."

"No, I would never say that," he says firmly. "You have every right to be pissed at me. The way I treated you was inexcusable, and to be honest you've been a lot nicer to me than I deserve."

"I guess that's just my pathetic spineless nature," she says, rolling her eyes.

"You're anything but pathetic," he says, making her hard look soften just a tiny bit. "God knows I was, and if things had happened a lot differently over the last ten years I may very well still be."

"What happened to you Oliver?" Felicity says. "I know it isn't just the money."

"Life happened to me Felicity," he says, almost a whisper. and she notices a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Life happened to all of us."

"I guess I just don't understand why you were so mean to me in the first place," she says. "Regardless of everything that happened after."

"To be honest," he starts. "I didn't really think much of myself back then."

"You seemed pretty pleased with yourself to me," She scoffs.

"Yeah, because I learned how to tear down people that I knew were a lot better than me, people like you," he admits, her eyes widen a little at the comment.

"You thought I was better than you?"

"I _knew_ you were better than me," He corrects her. "I knew exactly how the world saw me, entitled rich boy who would never have to work for anything a day in his life, even my own mother saw me that way. My life was planned for me since birth and the scary part was, I knew I would never be special enough to change that plan. None of that is an excuse of course but..." He trails off and she nods once.

"Oliver, I don't hate you," she says quietly, "I really don't. I don't even know you anymore to be honest. I don't know what you've experienced these last few years, I just, it's hard to look at you without seeing that boy."

"I can't even look at myself without seeing that boy," he says darkly. "Do you know what regret feels like?"

She thinks about his question, and she too wishes she could have been different back then, that she would have stood up for herself more, fought more. And she thinks about Barry, about how she was too afraid to be alone to end things much sooner, before being alone became inevitable anyway.

"Yeah," she says softly. "I do."

They just stand there in silence, him leaning against the wall, her leaning against the door jamb, close enough to touch him but not really knowing why she wants to all of a sudden.

"Do you want some pancakes?" he says out of the blue.

"Oliver it's almost nine," she responds.

"Is that a problem?" He says, the confidence in his voice rising.

"Hell no," she replies, her smile returning. "Do you know where everything is?"

"I brought my own stuff," he says, starting toward the kitchen, her following behind.

* * *

His pancakes aren't half bad, she thinks to herself as they eat in silence, hers might be just a tad better though.

"So," he says his mouth half full. making her giggle a little. "Where do we stand exactly?" he continues after taking some time to swallow.

She shrugs. "You live here now, at least for the next month. "I don't want to drive myself crazy by hating you Oliver. I mean, I'm not going to pretend we're best friends or anything."

"Well, thank you, for giving me a chance."

"Thank you for the pancakes," she replies. And they continue to eat in silence again.

"Felicity?"

"Hmm?" she murmurs, her mouth too full to speak.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but who is The Streak?" She stops short at the question, her eyes going wide as she looks at him. After a second of quiet contemplation she swallows her pancakes and clears her throat.

"How do you know about that?"

"It was one of the options on your Netflix account," he clarifies, and she nods in understanding.

"He was my boyfriend," she says, seeing no reason to hide it. "He moved out a month ago."

"What's the story there? Or is that too personal, if it is I'll drop it."

"No, it's fine," she says, shaking her head. "We met in College, junior year, I went to MIT he went to BU, he was studying Forensic science on a track scholarship, he was so good everyone called him the streak."

"Did he not run fully clothed?" Oliver jokes, making Felicity laugh.

"I actually preferred the Flash but it never caught on."

"It should have, that's way cooler," Oliver agrees.

"I thought so too, even if it also contains implications of unwanted nudity" Felicity says. "Anyway we were pretty much inseparable all through college, and after graduation me and my roommate Caitlin got jobs at Kord industries, me in IT, her in biomedical research and development so we moved here and Barry came with us, and we were happy for a really long time, until... I guess we weren't."

She doesn't get into the rest, the accident, Central City... Iris. But Oliver is a grown man, he must know what she means, that people grow apart, even people in love. He nods in understanding, probably well aware that she's simply not ready to get into the whole story, not with him.

"What about you, you ever been in love?" She asks. And Oliver in love still feels like a ridiculous concept, but her curiosity gets the better of her and she has to ask.

"Once," he says with a warm smile. "Maybe twice."

"If you have to add the maybe it probably wasn't love," she says, and he doesn't protest. "So, who was the 'once'"

"Laurel," he says wistfully.

"Holy crap do you hear yourself, you practically sang it," she says teasingly. "What happened with Laurel, you sleep with her sister?"

"Actually..." he says shamefully.

"Jesus Christ Oliver, I was joking, seriously?"

"I was 19, I was a dumbass," he says. "And Sara-"

"Sara? Spin class Sara? Gay Sara?" Felicity says, flabbergasted.

"If it makes you feel any better we were both really drunk," he explains "And she shouted 'I'm think I'm gay' right in the middle of it."

She doesn't mean to laugh, but she can't help the loud, relentless guffawing that erupts from her at Oliver's confession.

"It's not that funny," Oliver says shamefully

"She came out to you mid-coitus, oh my god!" Felicity gasps, still in stitches. "That is the best thing I ever heard."

"Correlation vs. causation Felicity, that's all I have to say about that," Oliver says defensively.

"So, how are you even still friends?" Felicity says, pulling herself together.

"Well I guess you always have a special connection to the first person you come out to, and, well let's just say that's not the only thing the three of us have been through together."

"I guess that makes sense."

"So, now that you know one of my most embarrassing secrets-

"That's only _one_ of your most embarrassing secrets?" she interrupts.

"Do you think we might really be able to make this work?" he says, brushing off her insult.

"I think I'm going try," She says a bit hesitantly. "But just so you know, it's the TV I like, not you."

"It's okay," he shrugs. "I don't blame you."

And as they eat pancakes together, she thinks trying might not be so hard.

**Stay tuned folks!**


	5. Let's Fight For Our Honor

**The last episode I noticed that Felicity actually does have mint green walls in her apartment, that's not a detail I noticed before I wrote this story, in fact I don't even remember seeing Felicity's apartment until the last episode, so I kind of have to pat myself on the back for that one, I'm the world's most ineffectual psychic.**

He knows it's a mistake, that he should just let it go, last night went perfectly well after their talk, it was nice even. He's still not sure if he fully knows the woman Felicity has grown to be. There's a big part of her that doesn't want to let him in still, not that she has any reason to, and he knows on some level he's just being impatient, that she'll come around in time and there's no point in trying to rush things, but on another level he's never stopped regretting what he did all of those years ago, and that all of the apologies in the world won't retroactively fix everything.

He thinks it's better that he's in a good mood after class today, because he's not sure how far it's going to plummet after visiting Starling City prep for the first time in 10 years.

It looks a little different, he notices, he's not really sure why, the wood paneled walls are the same shade of Mahogany they always were, the black and white tiled marble floors still shine as if there is an invisible man perpetually polishing them, the kids look a little younger maybe, or that could just be because he's gotten older.

"Hey!" he yells after the first girl he sees , decked out in the same blazer, sweater vest and plaid kilt combo Felicity wore all those years ago. She stops for him, giving him a warm smile as he approaches her.

"Hi, are you here to pick up your kid?" she says sweetly, no malice behind it.

"Couldn't have said little sister or brother huh?" he says teasingly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she says sheepishly, and apparently the kids are nicer these days too. "I just thought... never mind, what's their name?" She says frantically, changing the subject.

"Actually I'm here to see professor Holt, does he still work here?"

"Yeah, but he's a dean now, his office is the third on the right," She says, pointing down the nearest hallway. And he thanks her graciously and starts down the hall, curiously checking once behind him to see if she's still staring. She is. Suddenly the dad comment doesn't sting quite as bad. He turns again continuing down the hallway until he reaches the office door, Dean of Sciences Michael Holt emblazoned on the door. He takes a deep breath before knocking.

"Come," says a deep, familiar voice from the other side of the door, and Oliver obliges. The memories come rushing back as he enters the office to see Holt sitting at his desk, completing a Sudoku puzzle in pen the way he used to during exams. He looks a little different, not aged much aside from a bit of gray at the temples and a pair of glasses Oliver doesn't remember being there before.

"I don't know if you remember me but-

"Oliver Queen," the man says genially. "Who could forget you?"

He smiles a bit awkwardly at the comment. "Are you busy, can I sit?"

"Please," Holt says, gesturing toward the seat in front of his desk. "What can I do for you Mr. Queen?"

"Well..." Oliver starts, rubbing his neck nervously. "I don't quite know how to say this so I guess it's best to just start at the beginning. Do you remember a girl named Felicity Smoak?"

The older man narrows his eyes a bit in contemplation, not as if he's forgotten, more because he isn't quite sure why Oliver would be asking.

"Of course Mr. Queen, she lived in my home for four years, excellent student, and a sweet girl."

"Yeah, she's great," Oliver says, his voice quaking the slightest bit.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, the thing is, me and Felicity recently reunited."

"Reunited, were you two ever friends?"

"No, not exactly," Oliver admits shamefully. "In fact, we were pretty much the opposite of that, I was very cruel to her in fact."

"I'm not going to pretend to have never noticed Mr. Queen, in fact I'm pretty sure a good chuck of your detention slips were handed out by me."

He remembers those well, he thinks to himself. "It's not something I'm proud of, but the thing is, we're sort of roommates now."

"Really?" Holt says, his eyebrows raising slightly. "How does a thing like that happen?"

"Mutual friend set us up," Oliver says, leaving out the part about Felicity's almost complete reluctance about the situation.

"It's great to hear that you two have connected in a more positive manner," Holt says. "But I must admit I'm not exactly sure where I come in."

Oliver takes a deep breath before speaking, he's not sure why he's scared right now, he's not a student anymore, there's nothing this man can really do to him, yet somehow he feels 15 again in his presence. He clears his throat and exhales sharply once more before speaking.

"When I went here, I did something very wrong to her, and you," he says hesitantly. "I threatened to get her kicked out, if she didn't steal tests for me and some friends." He can't believe he even managed to get the words out, but now that he has there's no taking them back.

"I see," Holt says, his face a stone. There's something a bit terrifying at his lack of expression at Oliver's confession, but Oliver doesn't break eye contact. Holt doesn't speak for what feels like hours, and when he finally opens his mouth again Oliver realizes he's been holding his breath the whole time. "What did she do?"

"She did it," Oliver confesses. "It wasn't her fault, I didn't give her a choice. Please don't blame her."

"I don't Mr. Queen," Holt says, still unnervingly expressionless. "I blame you, clearly. Threatening a student helpless to defend herself against someone more powerful is the worst kind of abuse."

"I know, I know and I've regretted it every single day," He says honestly. "But I was fifteen, I was-

"When I was fifteen I was already a sophomore at Princeton, and I got there on my own merits I didn't need to threaten anybody Mr. Queen."

"You were a genius," Oliver says lamely.

"Maybe, but you were never dumb Mr. Queen, just too scared of failing to actually try, am I right?"

"Everybody is afraid of something," Oliver says. "Even you I'm sure."

"I've never been fond of clowns," he responds, free of irony.

"Professor- I mean, Dean Holt. "I know I can't fix what I did all those years ago-"

"Says who?" Holt cuts in.

"Well, I just assumed-

"Mr. Queen, as you probably know, I'm an atheist," Holt explains, and Oliver isn't quite sure where he's going with this, so he remains silent as Holt continues to speak. "I've always thought that waiting for some sort of redemption in death was a bit of a copout to be honest. The life that matters is the one we're living, if you want redemption, I suggest you work for it."

"What are you suggesting?" Oliver says nervously.

"I suggest I kick your ass Mr. Queen," he says after another long and terrifying silence.

"I'm sorry, what?" Oliver says, a bit of a chuckle in his voice.

"You heard me, right now, in the gym," He continues, setting down his puzzle and standing.

"You want me to let you beat me up?" Oliver says, incredulously.

"Of course not, I expect nothing less than a fair fight from you Mr. Queen."

Oliver still wonders if this is a joke, but Holt is hardly the type, and he can't imagine why he has yet to break character if he is.

"With all do respect, I'm not going to fight a 50 year old man," Oliver says.

"I'm 53, and if you don't see me as a threat I'm not exactly sure where the hesitation is coming from."

"I'm hesitating because this whole thing is ridiculous," Oliver protests. "You can't do anything to me if I say no, I graduated ten years ago."

"True, but you came here for my forgiveness, you can leave without it, or you can fight for it, those are your options."

"I came here for Felicity," Oliver reasons.

"Sure, you put Felicity through hell for four years and you expect to get out of it with a mere confession, I'm sure she'll be happy to know you're still taking the easy way out."

He's sure Felicity would understand why he can't fight a crazy old man, it's enough that he tried to make things right, it has to be enough, he thinks to himself, still, he can't help but wonder what this guy's angle is.

"Dean Holt, I'm a tenth degree black belt in Karate and Kung Fu," Oliver explains.

"Really, only two," Holt says nonchalantly, making the hairs on the back of Oliver's neck stand up. At that he marches past his desk and out the door.

"I don't have all day Mr. Queen," Holt calls back behind him.

* * *

He's been here before, on his back after getting his ass thoroughly handed to him, granted he managed to stay on his feet for a good deal longer than a man of Holt's shocking skill level was probably used to, still he can't help but feel like the kid in Sensei Digg's class who wouldn't know a roundhouse kick if he took one to the face. He isn't even sure why he agreed to it, maybe it was male pride, maybe it was on account of everything happening so fast, maybe he really did want Felicity to know how much he wanted to make it up to her, but for whatever reason he agreed, and his face wouldn't exactly thank him for it.

"Mr. Queen, you sir are a worthy opponent," Holt says, extending his hand for Oliver. Still a little sore and out of breath, he accepts, letting Holt hoist him back into a standing position.

"Well, you said you wanted a fair fight," Oliver replies, removing his boxing gloves and mouth guard.

"You're a skilled fighter," Holt says, making Oliver feel just a bit less shame. "You just lack experience."

"Well, meet me back here in twenty years," Oliver quips. "So, I guess we're square then?"

"Hardly," Holt says, making Oliver's heart immediately sink.

"What?" Oliver says in disbelief. "I just took a beating over something I did as a teen and you're telling me you're still mad?"

"That wasn't a beating Mr. Queen, that was an audition," Holt says, making Oliver knit his brow in confusion. "I'm starting an after school program dedicated to teaching kids confidence and focus through martial arts training, I want you aboard as an instructor."

"Wait, me?" Oliver asks with a bit of a scoff.

"I don't see anyone else here, you do teach right?"

"How did you know that?"

"I've done my research Mr. Queen," Holt explains. "What do you say? Every Thursday from three to four thirty, of course we can't pay you any money but I like to think the restoration of your honor is better than currency in this particular situation."

"And if I do this, you'll tell Felicity that everything is forgiven?"

He looks contemplative at the question, but Oliver can't help but think he already has his answer.

"If you agree," Holt offers.

After a moment's pause he extends his hand in agreement, and Holt takes it, shaking it firmly.

"So you knew I could fight this whole time, why the beatdown?" Oliver asks.

"For fun mostly," Holt says, clapping Oliver on the back. "See you Thursday."

* * *

His face and ribs still hurt as he walks, but he can't help but feel accomplished as he enters the apartment. But his sense of accomplishment comes crashing down around him as he opens the door to see Felicity staring back at him, her phone clutched in her hand, an angry glare on her face.

"What did you do Oliver," she says, a tense pause between each word.

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Holt just called me, out of the blue, says he wants to have lunch, how did he even get my number?"

"Why do you think I have anything to do with that?" Oliver says unconvincingly.

"We get into a fight about Holt and then he calls me the next day wanting to catch up? What did you do?" She repeats, raising her voice. "And why do you look like you just got worked over by Andre the Giant?"

"Well, let me ask you a question," Oliver starts. "Did Mr. Holt have a few screws loose when you lived with him?"

"No, not really," She says. "I mean he did always try to get the mailman to fight him but I think that was more of an empty threat... Wait, are you saying you fought Mr. Holt?"

"He kind of insisted, it was the only way I could prove I was sorry for what I did all of those years ago," Oliver says with a soft smile, and Felicity looks a bit confused but no longer angry. "That and help run a martial arts after school program every week for the indefinite future, but I have to admit that part almost sounds fun."

"Oliver, Mr. Holt is an expert in like every martial art known to man, I think he might have invented a few himself."

"Yeah, yeah he's Mr. Terrific, I know," Oliver says a bit bitterly. "But if fighting him was the only way to make things right, it was worth it."

She's trying not to smile, he can tell, and just the fact that she's trying not to smile makes his own grow wider.

"So, he knows, about everything?"

"Yeah, and he was a lot angrier with me than you, so you don't need to worry that he thinks any less of you."

"I can't believe you did that."

"I can't believe I didn't do it sooner."

She shifts her feet a little, wondering what to say, what to do. The only thing she's ever been comfortable feeling toward Oliver is hatred, but over the last few days new feelings have emerged, pity, suspicion, confusion, mild lust, shame over feeling mild lust, and more confusion. If only she knew what his deal was.

"Okay what is your deal?" She finally asks, snappishly. "Why do you care so much whether I forgive you or not? I mean nothing to you, I never have, why can't you just be my roommate without making me a part of this whole self improvement quest you're so set on?"

"Because... I don't know Felicity," he says, looking a bit exasperated as he crosses the room and sinks onto the couch. "Maybe I kind of... like you."

She pauses at his words.

"That's absurd Oliver," she says, rubbing her temples in frustration.

"It's not absurd, who wouldn't like you?" He continues. "And don't take it the wrong way, I'm not into you that way or anything, I just... last night, when we were eating pancakes and watching TV together, that was really nice, and you're good to talk to and funny and the smartest person I ever met and I just wish we could hang out like that without this constant cloud over it you know?"

She never expected to hear those words from anyone, let alone Oliver Queen, when had her apartment turned into Bizarro word meets The Twilight Zone?

"I hope you realize this entire experience has been a constant mind fuck for me, you know that right?" Felicity says.

"I'm aware," he replies.

"You look like absolute hell," she says. "Let me get you some ice and then, maybe we can watch some IT Crowd."

"What's the IT Crowd?" Oliver asks.

"God, just when I was beginning to reconsider hating you," Felicity jokes as she goes for the ice.

* * *

She isn't sure when she falls asleep, probably sometime during the Sea Parks Fire mystery episode. But when her eyes flutter open the screen saver is on, her glasses are crooked on her face and there's something warm and moving underneath her. She tries not to cry out in surprise at the sight of Oliver stretched out on the couch, sleeping, they'd fallen asleep on the couch, her cheek pressed against his firm chest, his arm solidly draped around her back. She tries to move it, to escape without waking him, but before she can move too far the doorbell rings, waking him instantly.

"Wha.. huh?" Oliver says, confused, groggy. "What time is it?"

"A little after two," She says, checking her phone. She scrambles up from the couch, hoping not to have to address the fact that she just fell asleep on top of her roommate. "Who the hell just shows up this late?"

She looks through the peephole, immediately recognizing the brunette young woman standing at her door. She looks upset, she'd have to be to just show up at the middle of the night, she smoothes her disheveled hair and fixes her glasses before answering the door.

"Oliver, Felicity, I'm really sorry to come here so late but me and Roy just got into a huge fight," Thea chokes out through her tears.

"Thea, what happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it, I just, I need someplace to stay for the night, I know it's a lot to ask."

"Thea, this isn't my place, it's Felicity's I can't just-

"Come on in Thea," Felicity says, interrupting Oliver as she widens the door for the crying girl. "Did you need anything, something to drink, maybe some bed clothes?"

"No, I'm okay, could I maybe just crash on the couch?" Thea says.

"I'll get you some blankets," Felicity says with a warm smile, noticing the way Oliver smiles too, a foreign expression on his face that looks dangerously close to awe.

"Thanks a lot Felicity, I really appreciate this," Oliver says quietly. And he seems to entirely mean it.

**I know not a whole lot happened in this chapter, but I promise next one is going to make up for it and then some. Also, if you know who Mr. Holt is in the DCU then you're my favorite person.**


End file.
